There’s little else more fun and exciting than riding on a motorcycle. No other vehicle can enhance a warm afternoon or the breeze of a sunny day the way that a motorcycle does. But without taking safety on a motorcycle seriously, all the fun and excitement could be gone at the instant of an accident.

The design of a car will keep drivers and passengers relatively safer than a motorcycle will because there’s nothing surrounding a motorcycle to protect us from coming into direct contact with another vehicle or even the road. That’s why motorcycle safety is so crucial.

Statistics say that most motorcycle accidents are the result of other vehicles hitting motorcycles. Most drivers look out for other drivers but they rarely look for motorcycle riders. We (motorcycle riders) need to pay just as much attention to car drivers as car drivers need to look about for motorcycles, too. Have in mind that it isn’t easy to spot motorcycle riders while driving, so motorcycle riders need to be on the defensive and anticipate sudden moves by drivers who might not be able to see us.

By the way, riders need to look for other motorcycles, too. Particularly, if you live in a city with heavy two wheel traffic or when group riding.

One thing is for sure and that is that motorcycle riders shouldn’t get into the habit of assuming they can do anything on the road. I hate it when I see people ride the streets and highways in a way that could cause an accident. Try to remember that there are a lot of stressed and nervous car drivers out on the road, with you and weaving in and out of traffic is all it takes to bring one of these nervous types to a nervous wreck – or worse – a car wreck.

Another thing that makes me uneasy is when I see riders travel on the road side by side at high speed. Yeah, it looks cool, but it’s dangerous for any number of reasons. The safest way to ride in a group or pack is plain old, boring single file.

No wheelie tricks on and no speeding in busy streets or roads. Save speeding for the race tracks and safe roads.

Proper gear is important for safety, too. I always wear eye protection, a helmet, gloves and a leather jacket when I’m out there on my own bike. Without the eye protection, you run the risk of getting a bug, dust, or other debris in your eyes and without a helmet, you run the risk of serious (read, irreparable) head injury in the event of an accident.

Wearing a good jacket and riding pants is also a good idea. They will protect your skin from sharp things flying in the air and from road rash in case you go down.

Always make sure your head and tail lights work properly (and that you have on reflective tape or clothing when you ride at night) because otherwise, you’re just asking to be hit by other vehicles.

Other motorcycle accidents are the result of unsafe road conditions, so avoid riding in heavy rain, sleet, or snow and keep an eye out for spills, sand, water, gravel, or foreign items that other people leave or dump out onto the road. We have all seen them: boards, wood pieces, car parts, trash, and even furniture. Yes, it can sometimes seem like an obstacle course, but by anticipating them, you can avoid them.

The advantages of operating a motorcycle significantly outweigh resistance to a few safety precautions so I personally don’t understand hesitation to follow these common sense tips. These minimum requirements mean that anything less is a simple recipe for disaster.